The Shuttleworth Collection
The Shuttleworth Collection lives at Old Warden Airfield, Bedfordshire, also known as Biggleswade, and is home to as fine a collection of elderly airworthy planes as you'll find anywhere. These include such gems as a Bristol Boxkite, Sopwith Pup and Triplane, an LVG C VI (the only airworthy WW1 German Fighter in the world) Avro 504, Bristol Fighter... the list goes on and on. Add to these a sprinkling of visiting aircraft on flying days, throw in some good weather (please!) and you have an afternoon's entertainment second to none.
Flying days are held on the first Sunday of the month. Generally speaking
as many of the collection as are airworthy on the day are flown, subject to weather
conditions. In the case of the 'Edwardians' such as the Bristol Boxkite replica, first
built for 'Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines', or the Bleriot Monoplane
replica, that means very little wind indeed, as their cross-wind capabilities are
negligable. In addition to these, there will usually be a few interesting visitors who
drop in, fly their display, then head off elsewhere. In August '98 for instance, during
the year of the R.A.F's 80th anniversary, we were treated to a visit from a Tornado, which
gave an absolutely a cracking display. A Spitfire will often drop in, and the collection's
own Sea-Hurricane flies regularly. The sight of either of those pulling steep turns a
couple of hundred feet above the airfield on a sunny summer afternoon is a real treat !
Old Warden welcomes visiting aircraft on flying days, so If you're thinking of flying in,
here are a few tips:
1) YOU MUST BOOK IN ADVANCE, as parking for visiting aircraft is strictly limited. Try to
book at least a month in advance. If you haven't booked, you won't be allowed in on the
day.
2) Get there nice and early. You won't be allowed to land after 1300 hrs (local time), so
rather then cut it fine, aim to arrive earlier rather than later, beat the rush, and give
yourself plenty of time for item (4).
3) When you arrive, you will have to cross the active runway in order to get to the
spectating areas. Be sure to take everything with you that you are likely to need, as you
will not be allowed back to your aircraft once the display has started.
3) Bring a picnic! As visiting aircrew, you'll have access to the Pilots' Enclosure, right
at the front, next to the Control Tower. The perfect place for civilised lunch, afternoon
tea, and maybe even dinner!
4) Watch your weight (and we're not just talking about the picnic here). Runways 12/30 are
not normally available to visiting aircraft, so you'll be using 04/22. It's pretty smooth,
and the hedges are nice and low, but it is ONLY 614 METRES LONG!.
5) Do bring a camera - the sun will be behind you during the display, and the trees to the
east make a lovely backdrop.
6) Don't reckon to get away too early. The flying usually finishes around 1700 -1730,
after which everyone rushes to their planes at once, and someone has to be last. Don't
reckon on getting away before 1800 hrs local, it may even be after that, so, unless you're
one of those lucky people with both a valid night-rating, and an illuminated runway
waiting back at home, check to make sure that you've got enough daylight to get home.
Here are some images from the August Display that you can download. All are 800x600 pixels.
New to the Collection - The Lysander
